Patricia Figueroa - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

To begin, I have to say that this was an amazing book.
While reading Kite Runner I came across the the theme of the search of redemption.
Amir, one of the main characters, has a very complex relationship with his father, and as much as he loves him, he wishes everything could be better. Amir's mother died while she gave birth to him, this makes him feel responsible and guilty. Amir finds himself thinking that if he wins the kite tournament (with Hassan's help) he will redeem himself from his Baba and find forgiveness.
Another theme I came across was the one of looking back to the persistence of the past and time, for instance, the novel begins with Amir's memory of peering down an alley, looking for Hassan, who is kite running for him.As Amir peers into he alley, he witnesses a tragedy. The novel ends with Amir kite running for Hassan's son, Sohrab, as he begins a new life Amir in America.I really liked how Hosseini framed the novel with these scenes.“That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.”(pg 1) This quote shows the guilt Amir feels inside of him and how important this moment is to him. Furthermore, in the book there is a strong underlying force in the relationship between Amir and Hassan, but at the same time there is betrayal. Amir doesn't want to realize that he is Hassan's true friend and constantly tests Hassan's loyalty. He also resents Hassan because his father is always treating both Amir and Hassan the same and some how Amir feels jealousy.
Also, early in Amir and Hassan's friendship, they would often go to the pomegranate tree where they would spend hours reading."One summer day, I used one of Ali's kitchen knives to carve our names on it: 'Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul.' Those words made it formal: the tree was ours."(pg 27) Later in a letter to Amir the story, Hassan mentions that "the tree hasn't borne fruit in years." This quote accurately shows the sinificance of this tree towards their friendship over the time that has passed."The tree hasn't borne fruit in years" doesn't just demonstrate the difficult times in Afghanistan but mostly how their friendship had fallen apart.
In this novel I also analyzed the use of symbolism, the lamb. In Islamic religion, the lamb represents the sacrifice of innocence.In the novel Amir describes Hassan and Sohrab as looking like lambs waiting to be killed. Again, here Amir feel his guilt. Throughout the book sacrifice was portrayed as the exploitation of the innocent.

This was a beautiful and unforgettable story that showed love, honor, guilt, fear, redemption and betrayal, it was beyond what I expected from it. I really enjoyed reading this novel.

"For you, a thousand times over." -Hassan